Light-weight optical lever micrometer



\ LIGHTSOURGE March 14, 1950 J. L. WESTHAVER 2,500,726

LIGHT-WEIGHT OPTICAL LEVER MICROMETER Filed May 25, 1945 i Patented Mar. 14, 1950 UNITED" STATES PATENT OFFICE LIGHT-WEIGHT OPTICAL LEVER MICROMETER John L. Westhaver, San Diego, Calif.

Application May 23, 1945, Serial No. 595,410

2 Claims.

This invention relates to an-optical lever micrometer and has for one of its objects the production of a simple and eflicient light-weight optical lever micrometer which is so constructed as to determine th average film plane of a camera so as to adjust and position the ground glass to obtain the best possible focus of the camera.

A further object of this invention is the production of a simple and efficient means for maintaining an actual very light physical contact with a film, without bending or distorting the film while the position of the light beam which is cast upon the scale from a light source is observed, to obtain an exact measurement and to thereby indicate the amount of displacement of the film plane."

Other objects and advantages of the present invention will appear throughout the following specification and claims.

In the drawing- Figure l is a side elevational view of the device, the light source being indicated in diagram;

Figure 2 is a top plan view;

Figure 3 is an enlarged sectional view illustrating the bearing supports for the film contact wire; I

Figure 4 is a fragmentary perspective view of a portion of the film contact wire and retraction means.

By referring to the drawing, it will be seen that 4 l designates the long narrow base which carries the light source, condenser and projection lens device II at one end thereof. A film I2 is supported vertically and at right angles to th base I 0 in any suitable manner beyond one end of the support ID, as shown in Figures 1 and 2. A pair of spaced bearing supports I3and M are carried near the outer end of the base I0 adjacent the film I2 and each bearing support carries a jewel bearing I5 through which jewel bearings l5 slidably extends the film contact wire I6. The outer extremity of theywire I6 is spherical, as shown at H, where the wire contacts with the film !2. The bearing support I3 carries a safety guard I8 through which the wire It extends to provide a means to prevent the wire I6 from bending.

A mirror I9 is pivotally mounted upon the upright arms 20, which are carried by the base Ill, and a spring 2| normally retains the mirror in a selected position, approximately at an angle of 45 degrees, as shown. The inner end of the film contact wire I6 frictionally contacts the rear face of the mirror 19 near the lower end of the mirror and opposite to the spring 2 I A retraction lever 22 is pivotally secured to the base I0, as at 23, and a retraction Wire 24 is secured to the lever 22 at one end. This retraction wire 24 is guided through the bearing support I4, as shown. The wires I6 and 24 are preferably stiff steel wire which will not readily bend or fiex. The wire I6 is provided with a rigid depending finger 25, which is adapted to be engaged by the upwardly and laterally bent finger or extremity of the retraction wire '24 to facilitate the retraction of the end I! of the wire I8 away from the film I2.

'A scale 21 is supported above the rear end of the light source II in the manner shown in Figure 1, and this scale is suitably graduated to facilitate the reading of the position of the light ray 28 which is focused and reflected upon the chart or scale 21 from the inclined mirror l9 in the manner also shown in Figure 1. The mirror I9 is swung a change the position of the reflected ray as cast upon the scale 21, as the position of the film contact wire I6 is shifted longitudinally in proportion to the variation of the film I2 which film engages the end I! of the wire It should be noted that the mirror I9 is free to swing as the film contacting wire or rod [6 pushes against the lower end of the mirror. The rod or Wire I6 has a sliding friction contact with the rear face of the mirror I9. The weight of the mirror normally keeps the lower end of th mirror in contact with the inner end of the wire or rod 5 and the mirror will keep the wire or rod It in an extended position or in contact with the film l2 with very slight pressure.

It is a known fact that most types of cameras have proven that although the lens fitted thereto may be of the highest quality, and the image on the ground glass screen is focused to the sharpest degree possible, the developed film may show an image that is definitely out of focus. This is due in the majority of cases to the plane of the ground glass being in a different position from that of the film. A variation of a very small amount, ten thousandths of an inch with lenses of about six inches having a fair speed and only one or two thousandths with lenses of high speed and short focal length being enough to damage the definition to such an extent that upon enlargement the picture is decidedly out of focus. Consequently the obvious step to take is to measure the position of the film in relation to the camera body and adjust the ground glass screen to take up its proper position with respect to the film. This may be easily done with cameras using glass plates since the plates are quite 3 rigid and the usual depth gage or dial indicator may be used. However, no such an instrument can be used in the case of a film due to the fact that the film is vary flexible and the slightest pressure will push the film out of position. The instrument above described and illustrated in the drawing can be actuated with a very small amount of pressure such as a grain or two which will not 'ir'ifluencethe film in th slightest degree. which are extremely light and which are mounted on jewel bearings 50 that there is no backlash and a positive deadbeat action.

It should be understood that the reflected beam of light 28 may be of any length and possesses no weight. A large calibrated scale can be placed upon a wall or other support and this scale willpermit of extreme accuracy in connection with the measurements desired. The camera is placed on the optical bench and the instrumcntis' inserted through the lens opening and the'measurement is taken very quickly.

It:- should be understood that the present invention is in the nature of an instrument which is especially'constructed as a measuring device for particularuse on afragile film or other delicate object where an extremely'small degree of pressure is'needed to actuate the mirror l9.

'Itwill be seen-that the general plan of the deviceis to produce a light-weight optical lever micrometer for determining the average film plane of-a camera-seas to adjust and position theggroundglass for the best possible focus in view-:of thefact thatset variations-of the film will ordinarily upset the critical focus. The present .devicepermits actual physical contact withithefilm and-this contact is'a very .light one so as to avoid vbendingror distorting thefilm while positioning the'light beam or reflecting the light beam on the scale which is hung'on the wall in order'toshow the exact measurement or displacement of the film plane.

It should be understood that the mirror 19 may be mounted upon jewel bearings to facilitate free operation and to limit friction to a minimum.v Itshould-be further understood that the mirror l.9:keeps the wire H5 in contact with the film 12 or otherobject and provides complete absence'of lost motion in view of the fact that the-two moving parts, that is to say, the mirror 19 and wire 16, are extremely light, pressure is at a-minimum.

Certaindetail changes in the mechanical construction may be employed without departing from the spirit of the invention, so long as such changes fall withinthe scope of the appended claims.

'Having described the claimedis:

1. A new article of manufacture comprising an instrument for measuring the variation of the plane of afilmrelative'to the ground glass plate of a camera, said article comprising an elongated narrowbase to facilitate the placing of said article through thelens opening of a camera, a longitudinally 'slidable film contact wire extending longitudinally of one end of said base and carried close to said base, a light-reflecting mirror hinged 'above and close to said'base, one end of invention, what is said wire loosely contacting said mirror beyond There are only two major moving parts its hinge and the other end of said wire adapted to contact the film loosely, the film extending at right angles to the longitudinal axis of said base, an elongated safety guard extending in close proximity to the film and receiving said wire to reinforce the wire and to hold the outer end of the wire in straight alignment throughout its length, a source of light lying close upon said supporteand spaced from'said'imi'rror forcasting a beam of light upon saidmirrbn'a calibrated scale asociated with the article and located to receive ailight ray cast upon said reflecting mirror from said source of light for measuring the exact displacement of the film plane relative to the ground glass plate of a camera, and means for retracting said film contact wire away from the film.

2. A new article of manufacture comprising an instrument for measuring the variation of th'e'plane of a film relative to the ground glass plate of a camera, sald article comprising an elongated narrow base to facilitate the placing of said "-article through the lensopenin-g-of a camera, a longitudinally .slidable-film contact wire extending longitudinally ofoneendof said base and carried close to said -base,- a light-, reflecting mirror hinged.- "above' and close to said base; one end" of said wire loosely contacting said mirror beyond its hinge -and the other, end of said wire adapted to contactthefilm loosely, the

film extending at right angles to the-longitudinal axis of said base, a source of light lying close upon said support and spaced from saidmirror for casting-a bearn of light upon said mirron a calibrated iscal-e associatedwith the article and located 1170' receive a light may cast'llpon said re:

fleeting mirror from said source of light-=for measuring i-the exact-displacement: of the "film planelrelative toatl'rezgroundglass-plate of'a cam era, a rigid depending finger' carlied bysaidwire, a retraction element movable longitudinallyof said support, :a laterally bent finger carried by theretraction element normally out 1 of 1 contact with said rigid dependingfinger-and adaptedto engage *sa-id rigid Y dependingfinger of said wire toretractsaid*Wire from-said film as said retraction element is moved in one direction-and manually :operated -means :for moving 'said retractionelement longitudinally of said support.

JOHN L. WESTHAVER.

7 REFERENCES CITED v The following references are of record" in the file of this patent v UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 438,300 "Edison Oct. 14, 1890 1,184,399 Wheeler May 23, 1916' 1,337,018 Lockey'et al, Apr. 13, 1920 1,863,673 'S'chraven June 21,1932 1,889,719 Wende Nov. 29,1932 2,224,281 'Webber Dec. 10, 1940 2,366,645 Ollendorf' Jan. 2, 1945 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 165,935 Great Britain July-1, 1921 238,600 Great-Britain Aug. 19, 1925 684,213 France. 'Mar. 1'7, 1930- 389,-541 Great Britain Mar. 23,1933 

